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Juneau District Attorney David Brower told The Pilot this week he will not attend the town meeting set for February 21 in Petersburg, but that Deputy Attorney General Richard Svobodny would attend. In a phone interview, Brower said, “he would like to be there,” but would be on leave at the time of the scheduled meeting. He added that he did write Police Chief Jim Agner a letter regarding the 38% case dismissal rate. Agner confirmed receipt of the five page letter on Wednesday and said he had not had time to read it. When asked if a sol... Full story
In 1945, the Alaska state legislature signed the Anti-Discrimination Act into law, and began an era of improved racial relations in the state. Civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich was instrumental in this bill’s passage and her work is celebrated across the state on February 16, Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Anti-Discrimination Act. Festivities in Petersburg on February 16 will include a parade through downtown at 4 pm and an event at the Seaside House f... Full story
Despite the difficulty of leaving Juneau in the middle of the legislative session, Deputy Attorney General Richard Svobodny plans to attend Petersburg’s Town Hall Meeting on February 21. “Whether case dismissals are good or bad is very difficult to tell,” said Svobodny. In general, dismissals can indicate problems with policing, problems with the District Attorney’s office or problems with the court. “Case dismissals are not always bad. Sometimes cases should be dismissed,” according to Svobodny. Just the term, “sufficient evidence,” ca...
After approving the report of Jensen, Yorba, Lott, Inc. the city council agreed Wednesday night to have councilor Sue Flint, Mayor Dwyer and the city manager lobby for design funds for the city police station when they are in Juneau next week. The council agreed it was important not to jeopardize the city’s drive-down dock funds while seeking project funds for the design of the new police station. During discussion it was noted that the state funds allocated to build the new fire hall were designated by the legislature for public safety b...
Judge Carey sentenced Tammi L. Avenson, 49, to serve six-months in jail when she was sentenced on Jan. 23 for conviction of felony theft in the 2nd degree and attempted falsification of business records. Avenson worked as a bookkeeper for Rock-n-Road Construction during the time of the thefts and is believed to have taken over $65,000 according to court testimony. Richard Burrell, owner of the company, told the court: “I’m pretty disappointed. I hope she doesn’t get a light sentence.” He also told the court he had stopped looking when the sto...
The city is exploring new options for the recreational vehicle staging area and dump/water station services now located in the parking lot adjacent to the Romaid Building. The new library will be constructed on that site beginning this summer. The city manager advised the city council at its Wednesday meeting that he asked Chris Cotta to look into alternatives for continuing the RV services after the existing dump/water stations are removed. Among the alternatives suggested by the manager: —Locate the dump and water stations at the w...
Christine J. Ware, 37, appeared before Judge William Carey for felony sentencing under terms of a plea agreement with prosecutors in which she pleads to one felony charge of 2nd degree theft and one misdemeanor charge of attempted falsifying business records. Ware was given a suspended imposition of sentence for five years on the condition she serve 60 days in jail, complete 300 hours of community work service, provide restitution to the Petersburg Children’s Center board of directors, obtain a behavioral evaluation within 30 days of her r...
Judge Kevin Miller ruled in December that Frank Townsend, former owner of Petersburg Shipwrights was not liable for payment to his ex-wife Barbara S. Sinclair for a line of credit that was taken out for her commercial fishing business and for their joint travel. The couple was married in 2008, according to court testimony. Sinclair’s small claims case against Townsend was heard on Dec. 5, 2011. In a written order the court stated, “Neither party will recover from the other. I find that Mr. Townsend promised to help Ms. Sinclair pay the lin...
After over a year of back and forth debate, the city council and the harbor advisory board have agreed to drop pollution insurance requirements for persons using and, or leasing city land and requiring best management practices which are specified in the lease documents. Furthermore, the city would use two standard lease agreements — one for short-term leases at Scow Bay Turnaround that addresses specific Best Management Practices that must be followed at that location, and another for long term leases. The leases address issues such as c...
Once again the city is attempting to resolve longstanding issues with the District Attorney’s office by calling a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21 and inviting representatives of the Governor’s office to attend. Kim Kilkenny of Petersburg Mental Health Services, said she would work to get citizens to attend the meeting by getting copies of the mayor’s letter to as many people as possible. According to a draft letter in the council packet for the Feb. 1 meeting, the mayor cited lack of support by the D.A., related to, “the dismissal of a hi...
As of Thursday night, the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department began responding to emergencies from their new fire hall. Trucks and emergency vehicles, with lights flashing, drove to the new Haugen Drive location and started the process of moving-in. During the Thursday night move-in over 40 volunteers from all branches of the department (EMS, fire, search and rescue) were present. Locker assignments and bunker gear storage were assigned to each member based upon tenure with the department....
PETERSBURG — Slightly less than six pounds of marijuana was seized Sunday, Jan. 22 from a shipping tote at Alaska Marine Lines. Police Chief Jim Agner said Tuesday the entire shipment was destined for Kake. He added that a Kake resident is a suspect in the case. The value of the seized marijuana was in excess of $64,000 according to Agner. An average street value for the drug is $25/gram. Depending upon who you are, users will pay $20 to $30/gram while high school kids pay as much as $35/gram, a...
ANCHORAGE – Generous Alaskans from across the state are opting to give a portion of their 2012 Permanent Fund dividend to nonprofit causes at rates that exceed the first three years of the program. Participation rates of 4.5 percent and an average $87 per donor thus far translate into $1,003,775 in pledged gifts this year, according to data provided by the Permanent Fund Dividend Division. The million dollar figure represents the halfway point to this year’s campaign goal. “These $25, $50, and $100 gifts add up quickly,” said Deborah Bitney,...
Governor Sean Parnell announced this month that Alaska has topped the $5 billion mark in exports for the first time. The news reflects goods exported from January through November 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Alaska’s total exports were $4.2 billion for all of 2010. “Alaskans are working daily to bring ever-growing value to our exports,” said Governor Parnell. “I salute the hard work and also the knowledge that makes Alaska products attractive and desirable worldwide. Alaska’s constitutional commitment to sustainability and being...
JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska is similar to a person approaching retirement age, Legislative Finance Division Director David Teal said Tuesday, noting that as income falls, there's a greater reliance on savings. Teal told the Senate Finance Committee the state faces tough budget decisions as oil production — the lifeblood of the state's economy — continues to decline. Among the challenges: an estimated $11 billion unfunded pension liability and finding ways to limit growth in state government. If government continues to expand as it has, even with relat...
The cities of Wrangell and Petersburg maxed out the available power from the Tyee Hydroelectric Project on Tuesday, as temperatures in Petersburg dipped to zero during the evening. “This morning we set a new all time peak for Wrangell and Petersburg right at 20 megawatts. Tomorrow morning it will be even higher,” said Joe Nelson, Petersburg Municipal Power and Light Superintendent. Tyee is basically a 20-megawatt plant, Nelson explained. The re-built, re-wound plant is capable of delivering as much as 24 megawatts, according to Nelson who sai...
Petersburg Power and Light Superintendent Joe Nelson reminded the city council Tuesday night of the department’s efforts to relocate their downtown plant to Scow Bay. Nelson said in 1983 the city-owned utility provided 60% of the town’s power with diesel generation and 40% came from the Blind Slough hydro facility. In 1984 the city went to 100% hydropower generation when the Tyee Lake project came on-line, providing power to both Wrangell and Petersburg. Despite a rate decrease the utility con...
On Tuesday night the city council revised its current fiscal year budget by reallocating funds to cover unanticipated expenditures during the current year. With the completion of the Kings Row road project, remaining construction funds in the amount of $185,834 were returned to the city’s property development fund. Additional attorney fees of $125,000 were added from the city general fund reserve account to cover Redistricting ($30,000); City Attorney ($10,000); Labor Attorney ($10,000) and Borough Formation ($75,000). Damage to the harbor c...
Two single-family residential lots measuring 100 ft. by 50 ft. were auctioned at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Two adjacent property owners each bid the minimum price on the parcels. Lot 14 of Block 234 was sold to Jim Martinsen for $6,000. Lot 15 in the same block was sold to Michael Etcher for $7,000. Both lots border the Valkyrie Street right of way with Lot 15 having access via the unimproved Middleton Street right of way. Each party paid a deposit towards the purchase price prior to the auction and will have until April 23 to t...
Kaitlyn McAvoy has been hired as the Wrangell Sentinel’s new reporter. Her work will also appear in the Petersburg Pilot on occasion. Coming from her hometown just outside Chicago, she brings both experience and a B. A. degree in Journalism, from Columbia College in the Windy City. McAvoy spent the last two years in Western Wyoming writing for a small town newspaper, the Pinedale Roundup. Prior to that, she was an intern for the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board and wrote a blog about the c...
The city council approved the expenditure of $237,945 for the purchase of 30 new air packs, 70 new 45-minute composite air cylinders and a team pack with two 70-minute cylinders. The purchase was made to supplier Municipal Emergency Services, Inc. who provides a pre-negotiated price to government agencies. The city’s current packs are reaching the end of their useful life and making the old packs meet required code changes could cost as much as purchasing new equipment. State grant funds provided for the construction of the new fire station w...
Sea otter population in Southeast Alaska is increasing, and consequently, the animals are depleting marine life, causing an adverse economic impact to local fisheries, according to a presentation given by fisheries experts at the Sons of Norway in Petersburg Sunday night. The presentation was a part of the weeklong Alaska Board of Fisheries meetings being held in Petersburg. The Board’s main role is to “conserve and develop the fishery resources of the state,” according to its website. Howev...
After hearing initial news reports from the redistricting lawsuit brought by Fairbanks, some of the Petersburg city council expressed regret Tuesday night, at not approving additional funds to stay in the legal fight with Fairbanks. Councilor John Jensen commented that after hearing some of the points that were made by different attorneys, he was disappointed about not going ahead with the other $10,000 (in legal fees to continue the lawsuit). “The dialog is still open. If there is any possibility that it would benefit us, I think the c...
On Friday, Jan. 6, law enforcement officials seized $62,000 in drugs destined for sale and distribution in Petersburg. According to a news release, Petersburg Police Department and Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) drug task force seized 4 ounces of brown heroin and 2 ounces of methamphetamine. On Tuesday, January 10, officials arrested Juan Carlos Murillo-Garcia, 37, on charges of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the 4th Degree. According to police he is being held in the Petersburg jail on $50,000 bail and a...
Despite suggestions to the contrary, no changes were proposed to the library site plans following a council work session on Monday. Councilor Don Koenigs questioned access problems since the library parking lot extended into the city street rights-of-way. Koenigs asked if the city needed to vacate the streets and if snow removal was going to be an issue. The driveway entry to the library will be on Second Street and the exit will extend into the Ira II right of way. Public Works Superintendent...
